viewoutsidethepew

“I wish that my head were {filled with} water

and my eyes were a fountain of tears

so that I could cry day and night

for my dear people who have been killed.

I wish I had a place to stay in the desert.

I would abandon my people and go away from them.

They are all adulterers,

a mob of traitors.

They use their tongues like bows that shoot arrows.

Lies and dishonesty rule the land.

They go from one evil thing to another,

and they don’t know me,” declares the Lord.

“Beware of your neighbors.

Don’t trust your relatives.

Every relative cheats.

Every neighbor goes around slandering.

Everyone cheats his neighbor.

No one speaks the truth.

My people train their tongues to speak lies.

They wear themselves out doing wrong.

Oppression follows oppression.

Deceit follows deceit.

They refuse to acknowledge me,” declares the Lord.

This is what the Lord of Armies says:

I will now refine them with fire and test them.

What else can I do for my dear people?

Their tongues are like deadly arrows.

They speak deceitfully.

People speak politely to their neighbors,

but they think of ways to set traps for them.

…

This is what the Lord says:

Don’t let wise people brag about their wisdom.

Don’t let strong people brag about their strength.

Don’t let rich people brag about their riches.

If they want to brag, they should brag that they understand and know me.

They should brag that I, the Lord, act out of love, righteousness,

and justice on the earth.

This kind of bragging pleases me, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:1-8, 23-24 God’s

Word).